York Co. boy meets woman running in his honor

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“IRUN4” is a program that matches runners with special needs children. It helps provide inspiration for both the runner, and the buddy who they are paired up with. The program currently has runners on a waiting list waiting to be paired with buddies. For more information on the “IRUN4” program or to sign up: click here!

BubbaBubba is a three-year old from Wrightsville, York County with an infectious smile. “As soon as he was born and I saw him on the table I said aw Bubba, and it stuck ever since,” said Bobbie Howard, Bubba’s mom.

Bubba was born with two brain disorders. Because of developmental delays he is fighting to learn to walk, and do all of the other things a three-year old can do. “Right now he is totally dependent on someone else. He is trying to walk, but he needs assistance,” said Bobbie.
And while Bubba may not have his own mobility just yet, there is someone hundreds of miles away who is using her own mobility to inspire Bubba and herself. “I went from not running, to now I’m going to run a half marathon. It’s just something that you know, some people might not believe that Bubba can do things but it’s possible,” said runner Stephanie Lohr from Ohio.

On Friday Bubba finally got to meet his runner Stephanie, whom he got matched with through the “IRUN4” program. Stephanie dedicates all of her runs to Bubba, including her first 10k, which she completed on Mother’s Day. That’s what brought her to Hershey, to give Bubba the medal she earned in his honor, along with a handmade medal hanger with the words ‘Anything is possible if a person believes.’

“I’ve been matched up with him for a year so we’ve been talking back and forth on Facebook with his mom. Just being able to get my arms around him and hold him was just amazing,” said Stephanie. “I’ll be running another 5k when I get home so he’ll have another medal coming in the mail, and I have about four or five more races lined up.”

“That was awesome, that was very sweet of her to do. Whether or not he will ever win a medal of his own, we don’t know yet, but he already has a collection started,” said Bobbie.